Ger Lyons hopes his star two-year-old Babouche can become the first filly in 13 years to land this Saturday’s €350,000 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
Europe’s first Group One of the season for juveniles has been dominated by colts since Kevin Prendergast’s La Collina upset the boys with a 33-1 success in 2011.
Since then, 11 fillies have tried their luck in the six-furlong contest but come up short. Last year, Porta Fortuna finished runner-up to Bucanero Fuerte, while So Perfect was also runner-up to Advertise in 2028. Aloha Star was dropped from second to third by the stewards in 2020.
That isn’t swaying Lyons from plans to test Babouche at the highest level this weekend. The Co Meath-based trainer was successful in the 2019 Phoenix with Siskin who also carried the famous Juddmonte silks.
The bird-shaped obsession that drives James Crombie, one of Ireland’s best sports photographers
Vintage Durkan clash in prospect at star studded ‘Premiere Weekend’ in Punchestown
Irish star Auguste Rodin to receive historic retirement ceremony after his final race in Japan Cup
Racing’s reaction to coverage of Cheltenham deaths shows worrying insecurity about nature of the sport
“If you’ve the best horse, you’ll win it, be it a filly or a colt. That’s what these races are designed for,” he said on Monday. “Kevin won it with La Collina and stats are stats, you can dress them up how you like.”
Perhaps the most relevant statistic of all is Aidan O’Brien’s remarkable tally of 17 victories in the Phoenix, making it the most successful Group One prize on the champion trainer’s record-breaking CV.
O’Brien indicated on Monday that the July Stakes winning colt Whistlejacket will be his main hope on Saturday. The race picture will become clearer after Tuesday’s latest acceptance stage with final declarations on Thursday.
Following her impressive debut success at Cork, Babouche beat the colts over the Curragh course and distance, getting the better of another Ballydoyle horse, Camille Pissarro, by half a length in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes.
“We didn’t go there expecting to lose. We expected her to put up a show and she did it,” Lyons said. “She learned plenty for the experience. It was greener than you’d like, but it’s one thing winning the maiden like she did in Cork; stepping up against them is another.
“Greenness could have got her beat, and two out it looked like it could, but I thought she did it well.
He also has a hunch that this season’s two-year-old filly crop could be stronger than their male counterparts on evidence seen so far, including another of his talented Juddmonte owned horses, Red Letter.
“I think an uneducated view would be that the fillies’ category is very strong this year in comparison to the colts. I know my fillies are much better than the colts.
“I have Babouche, who you wouldn’t swap for the world. I have Red Letter, who you wouldn’t swap for the world. But would you swap Aidan’s grey Frankel [Bedtime Story] who won in Leopardstown and won by nine lengths in Ascot? I think it could be an above average year for the fillies,” Lyons commented.
Red Letter impressed when landing a Curragh maiden last month and her trainer added: “She’s a different model, very much on the leg still. It wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t run again at two, or if she did, it would be one run, in the Debutante or the Moyglare, something like that.”
One leading two-year-old that won’t be at the Curragh, but instead waits for the following weekend’s Prix Morny at Deauville, is Shareholder. The Karl Burke-trained colt had Whistlejacket behind him when successful in Royal Ascot’s Norfolk Stakes in June.
“Shareholder is in great nick. Karl says he’s grown and strengthened, and we obviously gave him a break after Ascot which he needed,” said Richard Brown, European racing adviser to the Wathnan ownership.
“It’s all systems go for the Morny, hopefully. James [Doyle] is going to ride him work this week and it will be the first time he has sat on him since Ascot. As long as everything goes smoothly with that, it is very much the Morny next.
“He’s a very exciting colt who has already given us a massive day and now we will see what he can do over six furlongs. We’re hoping over six he will have an electric turn of foot,” Brown added.
Separately, veteran jockey Séamus Heffernan, rider of two O’Brien-trained Phoenix winners and who broke with the champion trainer at the start of the season, will be part of the British and Irish team at Saturday’s Shergar Cup in Ascot.
The 52-year-old will be joined in the team by teenage star Billy Loughnane and Cork born rider Tadhg O’Shea, who fills the captain role.
Tuesday evening’s domestic action is a jumps card at Roscommon where the smart mare Kilashee will try to complete a four-in-a-row in the first handicap chase. John Ryan’s runner pulled off three wins in 11 days last month, including over fences at Killarney. She is 13lbs higher rated for that.
